Deliver the letter, the sooner the better

When I was about 8 years old I used to write notes a lot. A friend and I made up a game that we played during the summer. I would write a note to someone (a cousin, friend, parent or a pretend person) then put it in an envelope and lick it shut. She would pretend to be the mailman who would deliver it. Then we’d switch rolls and she’d get to be the person receiving the note. She would always act surprised and delighted to hear from me, and we’d make up these long, detailed stories about our relationship. Then she’d write a note and I’d be the mailman, and we’d do it all over again. We played this game at least once a week for the whole summer.

Once school started, my friend and I continued to write notes to each other in class. I lost touch with her a few years later. But the exercise of writing notes has been something that has stayed with me. For lots of people, writing anything is hard. But I’ve always thought it’s not so hard if you don’t take it so seriously. If you and your friend were in class together today, would you pass her a note? What would it say?